Artificial Spinal Disc Offers Cure
Touted as Improvement Over Fusion

By

Daniel Rosenberg Dow Jones Newswires

Updated May 12, 2004 12:01 a.m. ET

CHICAGO -- It might be one of the few times that an artificial replacement is better than the real thing.

The artificial spinal disc is expected to be available in the U.S. in the next 12 months, and many in the medical community are excited about the potential improvements from the current procedure that uses bone grafts and metal.